


Family of Choice

by BellChimes



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Family Feels, Hurt/Comfort, No one is the right age really, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Regular Angst too, The age differences have been altered, adopted family, teenage angst
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-04
Updated: 2017-03-06
Packaged: 2018-09-28 04:44:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,268
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10072430
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BellChimes/pseuds/BellChimes
Summary: "Don't!" the younger man snapped.Obi-Wan stepped back with a sigh, hands falling to his side. He had grown accustom to dealing with his younger brother's irritability, much the same as Anakin had grown accustom to the pain of day to day living.Each chapter will be one in a series of stories that all take place in the same AU. I don't plan on the stories being released in chronological order.





	1. The Twilight

**Author's Note:**

> In this chapter Anakin is 18 and just graduated high school. Obi-Wan is 22 with an undergrad.

The music was deafening.

The scream of a guitar, ear-piercing. The heavy slam of drums, reverberated through his chest. The throb of it bounced around the confined space, off the concrete floor, rattling the wrenches and sockets sitting on the shelves that lined the walls. It made it impossible to hear ones own thoughts, pulverizing each one before it could fully form. That was just fine with Anakin.

The teenage boy lay, crowded up, half underneath an old sedan. The car was a project Anakin had been working on for the past couple of months. A customer of his mother's had left it at the garage after receiving the bad news; the engine was shot and the cost of replacing it more than the car itself was worth. Not wanting to pay to have it hauled off to a scrap yard, the old owner had agreed to sell it to Shmi for a small sum. The car was a tragic affair. Failed engine aside, the AC reportedly hadn't worked in years, the car's windshield had a crack running almost clear across the top, the rear bumper had definitely met an unmovable object or two, and it was, what Obi-Wan had dubbed, a truly regrettable shade of orange. Most importantly, however, was that it was all Anakin's. 

Anakin had been spending more and more time up at the garage after the accident. He had always loved to watch Mom work, and had picked up a skill of two in his younger years. He had NEEDED to get out of the house, and had, not run, NEVER that, but went to go help out. Shmi had been talking about how increased business had been at work recently. It always picked up around this time of year, when the weather got hot again, and suddenly, all of those compressor repairs that could wait needed to be done yesterday. Shmi had been telling the boys about her day over dinner, the unofficial daily family meeting, and had let slip how some of her usual costumers had to be turned away. Smaller things, like oil changes and brake pad replacements, being pushed aside for the higher paying jobs. Shmi and Watto's garage just didn't have the staff to take care of all of their demand, and they needed to prioritize the jobs that would help make rent. Shmi maintained that rewarding loyalty to the garage, by taking care of their repeat customers, even if it would cost them in the short term, would build better relationships with their clients and ensure their continued future returns, but the garage was Watto's first and Shmi's second so she bowed to his wishes. 

Anakin knew how to change oil, he had since he was tall enough to see over the hood of a car. He had volunteered to start helping out at the garage. Volunteered, because their was no way Watto was going to agree to hire another employee. That was fine, honestly, Anakin just needed to get out of the house, with it's hushed quiets and hovering older brothers. Watto wasn't heartless though, and, after some time, had agreed to allow Shmi to use some of the shops funds to buy, what was now Anakin's pet project, in payment for all his hard work.

Anakin had taken calling her the Twilight.

Anakin had been thrilled. The teen had started to panic when the customer flow had trickled back to normal and there wasn't much of a reason for him to be up there anymore . The hard work and long hours at the garage had kept his hands busy and mind empty. There wasn't anything at home like that for him. Or there hadn't been anyway. Now he had his car, for which Qui-Gon had agreed to buy a replacement engine, but _only_ if Anakin put it in himself. As if he'd have allowed anyone else to have touched her anyway. Well... maybe Mom. It was a good thing they tons of extra tools and equipment, most all of it over flow from the garage, laying around at the house. 

Anakin didn't know how long he had been down there, trying to figure just what _was_ making that rattling noise whenever she accelerated, when he heard the door leading further into the house open. 

____"Really, Anakin?" came an exasperated voice._ _ _ _

____He couldn't see Obi-Wan, not from where he was, buried half beneath the Twilight's chassis. He was debating the pros and cons of pretending like he hadn't heard his older brother, surely Obi-Wan would withdraw, chased off by the same noise he no doubt came to complain about, if Anakin just ignored him for long enough, when he felt the man in question kick at his booted feet. Heaving a sigh, Anakin rolled out from under the car._ _ _ _

____Obi-Wan stood over him, looking as absolutely unimpressed as Anakin knew he would. He was wearing a pair of gray sweat pants and an old tee shirt. He had been studying then. Obi-Wan would never have been caught wearing such if he was going out. It wasn't a vanity thing, it just honestly embarrassed the older male to be seen by anyone, other than his family, in such casual attire. His older brother tended towards slacks and button ups, in varying neutral tones, if he was going to be seeing anyone else. Jackets or sweater vests as the temperature demanded. When Anakin was younger and full of hero worship, after his mom had married Qui-Gon, he used to run around trying to mimic his new older brother's fashion sense. Thankfully he had out grown that. Obi-Wan might argue that it was a shame. Said older brother raised an eyebrow and Anakin's continued silence._ _ _ _

____Rolling his eyes, Anakin slowly climbed to his feet. He winced at the sharp pains, making themselves very known, as they stabbed at his knees. Groaning he raised the rest of the way ignoring the pops his joints were making._ _ _ _

____The irritation was gone from Obi-Wan's face replaced with concern. He made to help Anakin, and opened his mouth, doubtless to ask the same stupid question that seemed to be on everyone's lips these days. The same question who's answer Anakin was absolutely sick of giving._ _ _ _

____"Don't!" the younger man snapped._ _ _ _

____Obi-Wan stepped back with a sigh, hands falling to his side. He had grown accustom to dealing with his younger brother's irritability, much the same as Anakin had grown accustom to the pain of day to day living._ _ _ _

____"Did you need something?" Anakin asked when it looked like the man wasn't going to say anything further. Anakin wandered over to one of the tool tables, without waiting for a response. He picked through it's implements with no real goal in mind other than not having to look his brother's silent pity._ _ _ _

____The volume of the music suddenly dropped as Obi-Wan found the remote for the stereo. Then, apparently unable to take a hint or understand simple instructions, "How are you feeling?"_ _ _ _

____Anakin had to remind himself that it would be very immature to throw the wrench he was holding across the room._ _ _ _

____"Better before you came in."_ _ _ _

____Anakin flinched at his own words. He couldn't bring himself to turn and see Obi-Wan's reaction, and he hated himself a little more for his cowardice. The words were needlessly cruel, if true. The work and music kept him busy, helped him forget the pain in his bones that would never really go away, helped him forget the pain in his heart for a future that he would never get to live. But this, this was why he liked working at the garage. It emptied his mind, left him exhausted at the end of the day, and it took him away from the rest of his family, other than his mother, who, even at his worst, he could never lash out at. He hated that he caused those he loved pain, through his actions and words, that sometimes, like now, Anakin could swear were not his own, but sometimes just by existing. He hated the times when he'd catch his mom, watching him slowly walk up the stairs, as he relearned how to walk, with sadness in her eyes. Or when Obi-Wan would drop what he was doing, studying for school like always, to help Anakin preform simple tasks, things he would have, laughing, told Anakin to get off his lazy ass and do himself, but that was before._ _ _ _

____The silence stretched, as the silences around the house tended to do these days, and Anakin's mood only grew darker. Why did he keep doing these things? Why couldn't he just think before he spoke? Why did he have to end up in a car wreck that shattered both of his legs?_ _ _ _

____He flinched again as he felt a hand gently rest on his shoulder._ _ _ _

____"I'm sorry," he whispered._ _ _ _

____"Can I help?' Obi-Wan asked._ _ _ _

____Immediately the anger was back. Anakin turned around to snap something else, when he noticed Obi-Wan was indicating towards the car._ _ _ _

____"What?" was his inelegant response. He just honestly wasn't sure what Obi-Wan was getting at._ _ _ _

____"With the... car," he couldn't quiet hide the hesitation, Obi-Wan had never taken pains to hide exactly what he thought about the Twilight._ _ _ _

____Anakin felt his lips twitch at the thought of his fastidious, anal retentive, somewhat-of-a-neat-freak brother covered in oil and sweat. "You don't know the first thing about cars!" The teen cried, two parts amused, one part horrified of Obi-Wan stepping anywhere near an engine._ _ _ _

____His brother huffed. "How hard could it be really? It's just a machine, it's not like we're going to be preforming surgery." Anakin could hear the offense his reaction had risen in Obi-Wan, but for once it was almost good-natured._ _ _ _

____Anakin's mouth fell open at the thought, of anyone, coming near his girl with anything short of complete competence. "No way! You're not even really tool monkey material!"_ _ _ _

____"I have no idea what that might possibly be, but I'm confident I could preform any such task better than a chimp," his older brother was trying to keep is reactions calm, but Anakin had known Obi-Wan most of his life, he could see his continued disbelief was starting to rile the older man._ _ _ _

____Anakin's smirk was down right patronizing, "Of course, Brother."_ _ _ _

____Obi-Wan narrowed his eyes at his younger brother. "You know there used to be a time when you said that there was nothing I couldn't do."_ _ _ _

____"Yes, well, thank goodness that passed," Anakin sauntered back towards the Twilight, mood still floating somewhere around around the stratosphere. Obi-Wan? Mechanical? Honestly, what was the world coming to? Next he'd be trying to convince him that their dad was secretly some sort of space warrior trying to keep galactic peace._ _ _ _

____Anakin had sat back down next to his baby, snaps, crackles, and pops going uncommented on by both parties. Even the pain hadn't managed to get the smile off the teen's face._ _ _ _

____"Well?"_ _ _ _

____"Well, what, Obi-Wan?"_ _ _ _

____"Are you going to let me help, or not?" He seemed sincere._ _ _ _

____"Hmm, bring me a phillips head screwdriver," Anakin decided to humor his older brother._ _ _ _

____As he turned to the shelves, Anakin pulled himself back beneath the car, getting back to work. His girl wasn't going to fix herself after all._ _ _ _

____Not too long after, Anakin heard a light tapping on the side of the car. "Is this what you're looking for?" his brother asked sounding smug._ _ _ _

____Anakin lifted the tool his brother was holding under the car for inspection. He hadn't honestly needed one, but he'd hoped to distract the other for at least a little while, while he quietly googled what he was looking for then compared each of the screwdrivers to the image. That hadn't taken anytime at all though, It was the right one, he'd give credit where credit was due._ _ _ _

____"Alright," looks like he was going to have to up his game a bit, "bring me a 3/8 socket." He needed this even less, but what his brother didn't know couldn't hurt Anakin._ _ _ _

____This took longer, and Ani was sure he heard the soft pops of Obi-Wan's keyboard, but after a time his older brother was once again kicking at his feet to offer the requested item. The teen wasn't caught off guard this time, and had spent the meanwhile thinking up something that would really throw the other through a loop._ _ _ _

____"Thanks," Anakin acknowledged. "Why don't you do ahead and bring me a dike?" he asked innocently._ _ _ _

____There was a moment of silence, followed by some sputtering, "a what?"_ _ _ _

____Anakin, who had placed the retrieved piece next to it's compatriot, rolled out to blink up at Obi-Wan with wide eyes. "A dike," he repeated calmly._ _ _ _

____Obi-Wan was staring at his little brother suspiciously. He stare all he wanted, Anakin wasn't backing down._ _ _ _

____"...Okay..." Obi-Wan wandered back towards the perimeter of the room, and started to riffle through the instruments on display. Satisfied that he had bought himself plenty of time, Anakin got back to it._ _ _ _

____Quite a bit of time, and a few suspect noises, later there was a clatter as something was dropped near his legs._ _ _ _

____"There," Obi-Wan sounded exhausted, like Anakin had asked him to go do a few laps around the block rather than bring him a pair of wire cutters from across the room. Anakin couldn't help his smile as he lifted the dike in question._ _ _ _

____"Very good," he praised, only to receive a swift, if gentle, kick at his feet. "Now bring me a hydrospanner."_ _ _ _

____"Now I _known _you're just making things up!" his brother groused.___ _ _ _


	2. Mr. Tall 'n Handsome

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In this chapter Shmi's 25, Anakin's 6, Qui-Gon's 34, and Obi-Wan is 10.

" _E chu ta!_ " Shmi hissed to herself, as she tugged on the loose gasket. Ani wasn't nearby to hear, but at this point she had become accustom to her made up curses. Shmi'd had quiet the mouth on her before her son was born, but, the woman had promised herself, she wasn't going to raise her Ani in the same environment she herself had to grow up in. Shmi wasn't sure how well it had worked, Ani seemed to take great pleasure in learning all of them, but at least she wasn't likely to get a phone call from one of his teachers for calling a classmate " _sleemo_ ".

____The young boy was in the front office, chased inside by the afternoon heat. She felt bad that her poor boy had to be dropped off at the garage after school, but she had no one to watch him at home, and there was no way she could afford a babysitter. Anakin didn't seem to mind, he was always chasing her and Watto around endlessly quizzing them about whatever task they were preforming, he loved working with the large machines every bit as much as Shmi did._ _ _ _

____If she didn't have her Ani to look out for, love for cars or not, Shmi would have told Watto exactly where he could shove her job._ _ _ _

____The man had been on her case all day. Over all manner of small things. The woman knew he was stressed over rent, last month had been rough for them, but Shmi was just about done with his crap. If she saw any sign that Watto was yelling at Anakin..._ _ _ _

____She didn't though. In fact the old man seemed to enjoy having Ani around the shop, humoring his tireless questions with warm smiles._ _ _ _

____Shmi popped her head up over the hood as a flat, two-toned chime rang out through the bay area. It was a cheap alarm that Shmi had helped jury rig. It let anyone working out in the bay know when the front office doors were opened. Shmi ducked back down, and was once more elbow deep in Chevy guts, before she remembered Watto was out to lunch._ _ _ _

____The young woman quickly wiped her hands on a nearby rag and headed inside. Shmi didn't like that Ani was alone in the office with a stranger. Watto would have come directly back to the bays, not enter through the front. She would have sworn they didn't have any other appointments for today, but walk-ins weren't unheard of. Vehicles weren't known for breaking down according to a convenient, planned schedule._ _ _ _

____Shmi entered the office through the side door, which opened from the garage bay. The office was small, just big enough for the two desks shoved to either side of the room, the front counter, and a couple of plastic chairs on the far side. Papers, that varied from hand written notes to to-go menus, were pinned to every available surface. A kind soul may have called it cozy, Shmi called it cramped. The young woman suspected Watto kept it that way just to chase off anyone who might consider lingering at the office, to wait there for their car to be finished._ _ _ _

___She could see Ani from where she stood. If she didn't know her son, Shmi might think this new customer scared him. Anakin was tucked up under the front desk, hidden from the view of anyone who entered the building through the main entrance. He wasn't hiding, though, Ani always liked to situate himself beneath the counter. The young boy would spead out his things across the floor and sprawl out. He claimed that it was his office area. Shmi tried, several times as a matter of fact, to get him to sit at one of the desks, but it never lasted more that a few minutes. Shmi'd run outside to get some work done, and come back to her son splayed out in his usual spot._ _ _

____Said child was giving her a wide eyed, raised eyebrows look, from where, she assumed, their customer didn't even know he existed. Shmi scowled playfully at his sass, then made a funny face at him in return. Ani smiled brightly, with his whole being, and she swore that she would do everything in her power to make sure that he would continue to smile like that always._ _ _ _

____When the young woman glanced up, the man standing on the other side of the counter was frowning. Whether that was because of his surroundings -which he, and his expensive looking clothes, were definitely out of place in- or the outlandish expression on her face, remained to be seen._ _ _ _

____And they did look expensive. The gentleman in question wore a charcoal suit and a blue tie, each with familiar names tastefully stitched into them just out of sight. He stood at over 6 ft, with a neatly trimmed beard and a roman nose. He might look like a catwalk escapee, if it wasn't for his over long hair and the sweat gathered on his brow. Broken AC, perhaps?_ _ _ _

____"Was there something I can do for you?" Shmi asked. She doubted it, but maybe she could point Mr. Tall 'n Handsome in the right direction._ _ _ _

____"Yes," he seemed to gather himself, "I fear, I've found myself in need of mechanic." And Shmi did not roll her eyes at his choice of wording. "We seemed to have broken down a couple of blocks from here."_ _ _ _

____"Seemed to have?" she asked with an amused smile, then, "we?" Could have been the royal "we", but, for the sake of her straight face, she chose to believe otherwise._ _ _ _

____"Yes, that is when the car dies, and refuses to go any further, correct?" his face and voice read all innocence, but there was a teasing glint to his eyes. "And we, as in, myself and my son."_ _ _ _

____At the last part the gentleman seemed to indicate something next to him. The front counter rose to about four and a half feet from the ground, and in so, blocked her view from about the man's lower chest down._ _ _ _

____Shmi peaked over the edge of the counter and burst out laughing. This did not seem to amuse the small boy on the other side, who up until that moment had been wearing an open, curious look. She couldn't help it. When she saw the boy there, she had the sudden image of her and Mr. Tall 'n Wordy trying to bluff each other, in the most absurd game of cards._ _ _ _

____The young boy pouting up at her couldn't be more than four or five years older than her Ani. He had short-cut red hair, and was wearing what Shmi might call his Sunday best, if she didn't get the distinct impression that was what he normally ran around in. How in the world did he play dressed like that?_ _ _ _

____Anakin had dismissed them after they had started to talk, going back to his book, something about giant robots from space. When Shmi glance down to her son now, she could see that their conversation, and more than likely her sudden laughter, had recaptured his attention. He was frowning up at her, with a confused pout of his own, to match the other boy's._ _ _ _

____"Anakin, why don't you say hello to our guests?" Shmi beamed down at her boy. The pout vanished in an instant._ _ _ _

____Ani was a gregarious boy, eager to pounce on and regale anyone he met with whatever passing thought was on his mind. Shmi thought it was endearing, but Watto had scolded him for "talking the ears off" their customers, as he put it. Anakin had eventually stopped greeting them altogether. Where was the fun, if he couldn't show them his team of electronic battle monsters? But now? Now he had permission._ _ _ _

____Ani scrambled out and skipped around to the side of the counter. As the two boys assessed each other - the older boy was watching Ani's exuberance with a mild look-, Shmi noticed the boy's father watching her._ _ _ _

____"Do you always keep small children stored away beneath the register?"_ _ _ _

____"Only when we've really fallen behind on paperwork," was her instant rejoinder. That smirk really went great with his eyes._ _ _ _

____"This is my son, Anakin," she continued, resting her hands on his shoulders. Ani didn't even notice the grease stains on his mother's fingers, but she would have been terrified to touch either of the other two men, lest she stain their clothes._ _ _ _

____The man hunched down to be, well... closer to, eye level with Ani. "Hello, Anakin. My name is Qui-Gon, and his is Obi-Wan."At his name, the other boy stepped forward with a polite smile._ _ _ _

____"Hello!" Ani beamed, thrilled by his's actions, delighted to be able to see the, previously towering, man face to face. "You look silly!" he declared with equal jubilation._ _ _ _

____Mr. Tall 'n Qui-Gon, apparently, looked a bit like someone had smacked him between the eyes, startled and slightly offended, at that statement. Shmi hid her smile quickly. Oh, Ani... The older boy was giving Anakin a wide eyed look as well._ _ _ _

____"Why silly?" the man asked with a smile, and quickly regained equilibrium._ _ _ _

____"You're all couched over like a troll!" Anakin explained, like it should be obvious._ _ _ _

____Qui-Gon's son -Obi-Wan was it?- was looking between his father and Ani, as the man laughed heartily. It didn't seem to be the reaction the boy was expecting. Perhaps on either of their parts._ _ _ _

____"Do trolls crouch down often?" more warm smiles._ _ _ _

____"Well, yes. They're quite tall, and how else are they supposed to fit under bridges?" At this the boy paused, and seemed to contemplate his own question with serious thought._ _ _ _

____"Trolls aren't real," Obi-Wan supplied helpfully. He was watching Ani with a concerned look._ _ _ _

____"I know that!" Anakin embarrassedly huffed, blushing._ _ _ _

____"Well," Qui-Gon straightened up, "I do believe the only name I'm missing now, is yours." With that, he was once again addressing Shmi._ _ _ _

____The woman became flustered, in any other situation she would have simply brushed him off, but she was _still_ at work, and, apparently, she'd failed to properly introduce herself to one of their customers._ _ _ _

____Before she could reply, Ani cut in. "That's Mom!" he supplied helpfully. Obi-Wan frowned at his interruption, hadn't stopped the whole time really, but did not comment._ _ _ _

____"Ani, I need to talk to Mr..." she trailed off, waiting for a name to be supplied._ _ _ _

____"Qui-Gon will do fine."_ _ _ _

____"Mr.Qui-Gon and I need to talk about his car. Why don't you show Obi-Wan your new book?" at the mention of his name, the older boy looked up at Shmi with a surprised look, like, perhaps, he didn't think she'd have remembered his name._ _ _ _

____"Okay!" Her boy ran back around the counter to grab his treasure, before tugging Obi-Wan towards the front of the office. The older boy gave is father a pleading look, before letting himself get dragged off. The boys could briefly be heard arguing -Obi-Wan was _not_ going to sit on the floor- before they settled down. _ _ _ _

"Right. Where did you say that you had broken down at?" asked Shmi as she made her way over to one of the office phones. "I can call a tow truck and see if they can bring it to the shop. Or if there's another place you'd prefer?"

Qui-Gon had silently followed behind her as she spoke. When she looked up, he was patiently staring at her. Was she supposed to be able to read minds now?

"You still haven't given me a name," he informed her. "Unless, of course, you would prefer I call you Mom as well?" he didn't quite manage to keep a straight face and was smiling by the end of the question.

"Oh!" it was such a simple thing, and it had drug on for far too long now. "Shmi, my name is Shmi."

"It's a pleasure meet you Shmi." The smile never left his face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's more to this particular story, but this felt like a good stopping point. If I'd continued the chapter would have been far too long.

**Author's Note:**

> I blame this entire AU on a pair of red lens sunglasses.


End file.
